American Book Award Essays

  • Joy Harjo (1951--)

    1460 Words  | 3 Pages

    contemporary American life. In 1970, at the age of 19, with the blessings of her parents, Foster took the last name of her maternal grandmother, Naomi Harjo. As she often credits her great aunt, Lois Harjo, with teaching her about her Indian identity, this name change may have helped her to solidify her public link with this heritage. Although primarily known as a poet, Harjo conceives of herself as a visual artist. She left Oklahoma at age 16 to attend the Institute of American Indian Arts

  • Eagle Poem

    1130 Words  | 3 Pages

    We can all relate to the idea of allowing ourselves into places not yet imagined and feeling at peace. She connects the idea of peacefulness with nature and prayer in a well thought language that allows her to still connect herself to her Native American ancestry. Harjos metaphors and images of nature and prayer are effective in getting her point across as well as making a deeper connection with her Muskogee Creek heritage. Before reading this poem, one might not be too intrigued by its title, but

  • Perma Red and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian: A Comparison and Analysis

    1281 Words  | 3 Pages

    have read several books about Native American’s and their culture. The two books I found to be the most interesting were Perma Red by Debra Magpie Earling, and The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. In each story we see a young person from a reservation dealing with their Native Identities, Love, Loss and everything in between. Both of these novels have their similarities and their differences, but I believe they both offer insight into Native American culture that would

  • Dr. Daniel J. Boorstin: Great American Author and Historian

    787 Words  | 2 Pages

    Dr. Daniel J. Boorstin: Great American Author and Historian Dr. Daniel J. Boorstin (1914- ) holds many honorable positions and has received numerous awards for his notable work. He is one of America's most eminent historians, the author of more than fifteen books and numerous articles on the history of the United States, as well as a creator of a television show. His editor-wife, Ruth Frankel Boorstin, a Wellesley graduate, has been his close collaborator. Born in Atlanta, Georgia,

  • Analysis of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie

    809 Words  | 2 Pages

    combines humor and tragedy to tell a first-person narrative story of Arnold Spirit Jr., a 14-year-old Native American teenager, and the events in his life about pursuing his dreams. This book is a semi-autobiographical novel and it has won the 2007 U.S. National Book Award for Young People's Literature and the Odyssey Award as best 2008 audiobook for young people. The language in this book is simple, humorous and spontaneous, however, tragedies have played a more important part than comedies. The

  • The Writing of Stephen King

    1557 Words  | 4 Pages

    won many awards including the Medal of Distinguished Contribution to American Letters, 6 Bram Stoker awards, 6 Horror Guild awards, 5 Locus Awards, 3 World Fantasy Awards (including a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004), the 1996 O. Henry award, a Hugo Award in 1982 for the non-fiction Danse Macabre. He was given a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003 by the Horror Writers' Association and, controversially, a Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters from the National Book Foundation

  • When We Dead Awaken

    748 Words  | 2 Pages

    out of control. I have to disagree and consider her as a writer with controlled thoughts who refuses to be defined by what society says is politically correct. This is shown in part of her statement when she accepts the national book award. “We together accept this award in the name of all women whose voices have gone and still go unheard in a patriarchal world, and in the name of those who, like us, have been tolerated as token women in this culture, often at great cost and in great pain. We dedicate

  • Gwendolyn Brooks Research Paper

    527 Words  | 2 Pages

    passion for reading and writing. Gwendolyn Brooks had a true gift from God and it was writing. Gwendolyn Brooks’ mother discovered her talent for writing when she was seven. When she was thirteen she published her poem, “Eventide” which appeared in American Childhood. (Bio.com) Gwendolyn Brooks had several restrictions growing up that included playing with her peers in their neighborhood and having a usual social life. These restrictions created time for her to write short stories and poetry in her

  • “Inclusion in Today’s Literary Canon”

    1278 Words  | 3 Pages

    written several books that have become number one sellers. His books have spawned a multimedia franchise laying a basis for TV shows, movies, and best-selling novels. King has an infinite number of short stories, published novels and movies created from his originality. Additionally, he keeps the use of vibrant and vivid detail that is set in a pragmatic each day place (Bloom 54). King was born in Portland Maine in 1947 (Schweitzer 9). Commonly known as the master of horror, his books have been published

  • The Dumbing Down of American Fiction

    4710 Words  | 10 Pages

    The Dumbing Down of American Fiction The 1976 film "Network" is an acerbic satire of television's single-minded obsession with mass ratings.One of the film's main characters, Howard Beale, is called the "Mad Prophet of the Airways," and his weekly harangues produce a "ratings motherlode"--yet he constantly admonishes his viewers to "Turn the damn tube off!"During one such rant Beale berates his audience as functional illiterates: "Less than three percent of you even read books!" he shouts messianically--and

  • Dionne Brand's Blues Spiritual for Mammy Prater and Margaret Atwood's This Is a Photograph of Me

    958 Words  | 2 Pages

    Whether referring to a poem, a situation or someone in particular, we as a society are told not to judge a book by its cover, not to judge someone until getting to know him or her, or without discovering the underlying message. In Dionne Brand’s, Blues Spiritual for Mammy Prater and Margaret Atwood’s, This Is a Photograph of Me, both texts must be looked at in-depth before jumping to any conclusions. Both authors incorporate photography to paint a picture for their readers. By doing so, Brand defines

  • John Boyne's Life and Accomplishments

    864 Words  | 2 Pages

    Absolutist/Writing). The multi-award winning author has written nine novels and four children’s books. He also has around seventy short stories. His novels are written in forty-six different languages including Brail. He is dedicated to his work and has been all of his life. There are no signs of him stopping anytime soon. John Boyne was born on April 30th, 1971 in Dublin, Ireland. Boyne was always a great reader growing up, taking after his parents. “My life has always been filled with books and I never wanted

  • Story Of A Girl Essay

    1047 Words  | 3 Pages

    “This is a hell of a good book.” Chris Cutcher, who is an author himself said that about a book called Story of A Girl by Sara Zarr. In the book, Deanna Lambert got caught in the back of her boyfriend Tommy’s Buick by her dad. Now, she is sixteen, and she still has to deal with not only her dad hating her, but being called the slut in her school. She wants to escape her life that is defined by her past. Her brother and his girlfriend live in the basement with their baby, and they are the only people

  • A Face in Every Window by Han Nolan

    1351 Words  | 3 Pages

    Window by Han Nolan You know how they say never to judge a book by its cover? Well, that is what I find myself doing before most books I read. Whether it is an assigned book as a class, or a choice book we have to read on our own. I usually look forward to books with a catchy cover or an interesting title, and those are the books I look forward to reading. Books with a boring cover or a title I don't find interesting are usually the books I dread reading the most. I don't know why I do this, I guess

  • F.Scott Fitzgerald and George Orwell

    1401 Words  | 3 Pages

    opinions expressed (Kirk Web). The American society has a long history expressed by thousands of tangible artifacts and intangible stories, but some creations receive more respect as a part of our heritage than others. Literature, for example, allows us to gain a better understanding of the country, people, and feelings of the times. The classics are revered for its formal presentation and its withstanding presence, while other written pieces are cast aside. Comic books may not be considered in the same

  • Toni Morrison Biography

    1003 Words  | 3 Pages

    .. ... middle of paper ... ...ng of the American Literature Association in Baltimore, Maryland (Toni Morrison Timeline 1). During the invitation of Carolyn Denard, an Associate Professor of English at Georgia State University, brought twenty-six scholars and supporters that loved Morrison's work came together in Baltimore to build up the Toni Morrison Society as an official member of an alliance of American author societies that form the American Literature Association (2). With its founding

  • Worldviews In Conflict Pearcey

    702 Words  | 2 Pages

    credible because they both have knowledge and experience regarding the topic and researched various parts of the topic using reliable sources. Along with this essay, Charles Colson has written thirty books which have received much praise among the Christian community. He has also received many awards including the Templeton Prize for Progress in Religion in 1993, the Presidential Citizen's Medal As society continues to change, it is important for Christians to realize that they must respond in new

  • Donald Barthelme

    1083 Words  | 3 Pages

    Donald Barthelme has been called “probably the most perversely gifted writer in the U.S.'; As well as “ one of the best, most significant and carefully developing young American writers'; (Harte and Riley, 41). He was born April 7, 1931 to Donald and Helen Barthelme in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Barthelme had a wide range of careers during his lifetime. He worked as a newspaper reporter and as a managing editor of Location, and art and literature review (Harte and Riley, 41). His other

  • Real Life Events In Song Of Solomon By Toni Morrison

    643 Words  | 2 Pages

    Toni Morrison writes a story about African Americans and the issues they went through in the early 1930’s. She shows a little bit of history of an African Americans in her novel Song of Solomon. Toni Morrison wants the readers to understand how it was for the black families in the United States in the 1930’s and on. In the novel Morrison identifies numerous real-life events that have been crucial in African-American history. In this paper I will explain the events in the story and how the events

  • A Civil Action

    794 Words  | 2 Pages

    fight some of the largest local corporations to prove the truth and get it stopped. This is the community setting for Jonathan Harr's true-to-life legal thriller A Civil Action. The book was an award winner for "Best Seller" in 1995 and was named the 1995 National Book Critics Circle Award. The setting of the book is in the New England state of Woburn, Massachusetts. This is a sleepy little community that is overcast by local factories. The factories have been contaminating the ground and water